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The American Petroleum Institute filed a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency for allowing higher ethanol blends in gasoline, asserting the move violates the Clean Air Act. The agency acted prematurely in its decision, which "puts consumers at risk," said Bob Greco, director of downstream operations at API. "Results so far have revealed potential safety and performance problems that could affect consumers and the investments they've made in their automobiles."

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The Supreme Court should nullify Environmental Protection Agency rules authorizing higher ethanol blends in gasoline, the American Petroleum Institute said, arguing that it would damage vehicle engines. "E15 could leave millions of consumers with broken down cars and high repair bills," said Bob Greco, downstream director at API. "It could also put motorists in harm's way when vehicles break down in the middle of a busy highway."

The Environmental Protection Agency's decision to allow the use and sale of blends of 85% gasoline and 15% ethanol will place the country's fueling infrastructure at risk, the American Petroleum Institute said, citing several studies. Third-party testing of E15 "shows this higher concentration would not be fully compatible with much of the dispensing and storage infrastructure at our nation's gas stations," said Bob Greco, group director for downstream and industry operations at API. "EPA has not done its homework before introducing E15 to America," Greco added.

Manufacturing costs for refiners would increase significantly under the Environmental Protection Agency's proposed Tier 3 sulfur-reduction rules, according to an American Petroleum Institute-commissioned study. "More importantly, EPA has yet to demonstrate any air-quality benefits from reducing sulfur in the amount proposed," said Bob Greco, group director of downstream and industry operations at API. Such standards would also raise greenhouse-gas emissions "because of the use of energy-intensive hydrotreating equipment to remove sulfur from the gasoline," he added.

The Environmental Protection Agency acted prematurely in its decision to permit the sale of gasoline blended with up to 15% ethanol, said Bob Greco, downstream group director for the American Petroleum Institute. Additional studies are needed to ensure that E15 won't corrode vehicle engines and that it can be used safely alongside existing fuel stations and pumps, Greco said.

The Environmental Protection Agency subpoenaed Halliburton in an effort to determine the chemicals that the company uses in hydraulic fracturing. The decision came after the company refused the agency's request to divulge the chemical components. Halliburton is disappointed by the EPA's move, according to Teresa Wong, a spokeswoman for the company.